AL Playoff Picture (Aug. 7): Yankees Open Door After Falling to Cardinals For 5th Straight Loss
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The New York media handed the American League East title and the top seed in the AL playoffs to the Yankees way back in early June, but after losing their fifth straight game on Sunday, it might be time to reconsider.
Do we have a race on our hands? Or several races?
“We’re definitely going through it right now and frustrated with how we’ve played,” Yankees infielder D.J. LeMahieu said. “When we get a good pitching game, we don’t hit, and vice versa.”
The Yankees were swept by the St. Louis Cardinals over the weekend, and had lost twice to the Seattle Mariners before that. They were a heavy World Series favorite the first three months of the season, but they've looked very human lately.
New York Yankees first baseman DJ LeMahieu (26) is congratulated by teammates after hitting a solo home run against the St. Louis Cardinals during the ninth inning at Busch Stadium. (Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports)
On July 8, the Yankees were 61-23 and on a pace to win 118 games, which would break a major-league record. Seattle won 116 games in 2001. But they've struggled since then, going just 9-16.
The Yankees, who are 70-39 now, were the first team in baseball to get to 70 wins, doing that last Monday. They haven't won since. And now it's the Los Angeles Dodgers who are the first to 75 wins after winning eight in a milestone. It's the first milestone the Yankees didn't get to first, and now the Dodgers — and not the Yankees — are World Series.
The Yankees also have given up just about all of their lead for the top spot in the AL race, and the home-field advantage that comes along with it. Houston is 70-40, just a half-game back.
And don't look now, but the Toronto Blue Jays are now just 9.5 games back in the AL East. It's the first time since mid-June that New York hasn't had a double-digit lead in the division.
Are the Yankees just another team right now? The Dodgers are five games up on them now, and Houston and the New York Mets have reached 70 wins now, too. We'll learn more now this week as the Yankees hit the road for three-game series with Seattle and the Boston Red Sox.
Here are Sunday's summaries for teams in the AL playoff picture, along with Monday's schedule and the current playoff pairings if the postseason started today.
Sunday's summaries
- CARDINALS 12, YANKEES 9: Frankie Montas got knocked around in his first start for the New York Yankees in the Cardinals' 12-9 win. Montas, acquired from Oakland prior to the trade deadline, lasted just three innings and gave up six runs. New York tied the game back up in the top of the fifth, but the Cardinals scored three times in the bottom of the inning, and scored three more times in the eighth. For the complete game story, CLICK HERE
- GUARDIANS 1, ASTROS 0: Tristan McKenzie pitched eight scoreless innings for Cleveland and allowed just two hits in the Guardians' 1-0 win over Houston. Catcher Luke Maile hit a solo home run in the fifth inning for the only run of the game. Christian Javier took the loss despite giving up just one run and six hits. For the complete game story, CLICK HERE
- BLUE JAYS 3, TWINS 2 (10 innings): In one of the craziest endings to a game all season, the Twins lost in extra innings when a play at home was overturned on an interference call, giving the Blue Jays the win. Whit Merrifeld was called out at home originally, but after review, it was determined that Twins catcher Gary Sanchez blocked the plate illegally. “It’s one of the worst moments I think we’ve seen of umpiring in any game I’ve ever been a part of in baseball, and I think it was pathetic what just played out,” said Minnesota manager Rocco Baldelli, who was ejected for arguing the call.
- RAYS 7, TIGERS 0: Tampa Bay broke open a scoreless tie with seven runs in the ninth inning after two outs to win 7-0 and take the series. Six Rays pitchers allowed just three hits. For the complete game story, CLICK HERE
- MARINERS 6, ANGELS 3: Mariners left fielder Jesse Winker hit a grand slam in the third inning and Marco Gonzales (7-11) pitched six innings for the win. The Seattle bullpen pitched three hitless innings.
- PIRATES 8, ORIOLES 1: Baltimore managed just four hits in an 8-1 loss to Pittsburgh, ending the Orioles' five-game winning streak. The Orioles' lone run came on a home run by Jorge Mateo in the third inning before the Pirates scored eight unanswered run.
- WHITE SOX 8, RANGERS 2: Jose Abreu, Andrew Vaughn and AJ Pollock all had three hits and Lucas Giolito (8-6) allowed just one run in five innings in the White Sox's 8-2 rout of the Rangers. The White Sox (55-53) haven't been three games over .500 since April 15.
- ROYALS 13, RED SOX 5: Royals catcher MJ Melendez was 2-for-3 with six RBIs as Kansas City knocked around Boston pitching in a 13-5. rout, taking three games in the four-game series.
Chicago White Sox designated hitter Jose Abreu (79) rounds third base past third base coach Joe McEwing (99) during the third inning against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field. (Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports)
Monday's schedule for AL playoff contenders
- Toronto Blue Jays (Yusei Kikuchi 4-5 4.86 ERA) at Baltimore Orioles (Jordan Lyles 8-8, 4.86 ERA), 7:05 p.m. ET
- New York Yankees (Jonathan Taillon 10-2, 2.96 ERA) at Seattle Mariners (Logan Gilbert 10-4, 3.09 ERA) 10:10 p.m. ET
Tuesday's schedule for AL playoff contenders
- Chicago White Sox (Lance Lynn 2-4, 5.86 ERA) at Kansas City Royals (Brady Singer 4-4, 3.67 ERA), Game 1, 4:10 p.m. ET.
- Toronto Blue Jays (Alek Manoah 12-5 2.45 ERA) at Baltimore Orioles (Kyle Bradish 1-4, 6.55 ERA), 7:05 p.m. ET
- Atlanta Braves (Charlie Morton 5-5, 4.09 ERA) at Boston Red Sox (Rich Hill 4-5, 4.52 ERA), 7:10 p.m. ET. TV: TBS
- Cleveland Guardians (Shane Bieber 6-6, 3.39 ERA) at Detroit Tigers (Tyler Alexander 2-5, 4.04 ERA), 7:10 p.m. ET
- Chicago White Sox (Starter TBA) at Kansas City Royals (Starter TBA), Game 2, 7:40 p.m. ET.
- Tampa Bay Rays (Starter TBA) at Milwaukee Brewers (Brandon Woodruff 9-3, 3.49 ERA), 8:10 p.m. ET
- Texas Rangers (Martin Perez 9-2. 2.47 ERA) at Houston Astros (Jose Urquidy 10-4, 3.62 ERA), 8:10 p.m. ET
- Minnesota Twins (Joe Ryan 8-4, 3.67 ERA) at Los Angeles Dodgers (Julio Urias 11-6, 2.57 ERA), 10:10 p.m. ET
- New York Yankees (Gerrit Cole 9-4, 3.56 ERA) at Seattle Mariners (Luis Castillo 5-4, 2.95 ERA) 10:10 p.m. ET
New York Yankees starting pitcher Gerrit Cole (45) reacts during the first inning against the Seattle Mariners at Yankee Stadium last week. He'll face the Mariners again on Tuesday night in Seattle. (Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports)
If the playoffs started today ...
- No. 1 seed — The New York Yankees (70-39, AL East leader, would get first-round bye) lead Houston by a half-game, and are 9.5 games ahead of Toronto in the AL East race.
- No. 2 seed — The Houston Astros (70-40, AL West leader, would get first-round bye) lead Minnesota by 12 games for the first-round bye and are 11 games ahead of the Seattle Mariners in the AL West.
- No. 3 seed — The Minnesota Twins (57-51, AL Central leader, would host No. 6 seed in best-of-three first-round series) have a one-game lead over Cleveland and a two-game lead over Chicago in the AL Central race.
- No. 4 seed — The Toronto Blue Jays (60-48, wild-card leader, would host No. 5 seed in a best-of-three first-round series) lead the wild-card chase by two games.
- No. 5 seed — The Seattle Mariners (59-51, second wild-card team, would play at No. 4 seed Toronto in a best-of-three first-round series). They are percentage points ahead of the Tampa Bay for the No. 5 spot.
- No. 6 seed — The Tampa Bay Rays (58-50, third wild-card team, would play at No. 3 seed Minnesota in a best-of-three first-round series). They are two games ahead of Cleveland for the final playoff spot.
Outside looking in
- Baltimore Orioles: The Orioles are 56-52, and are two games behind Tampa Bay for the final wild-card spot, and tied with Cleveland. The Orioles play Tampa Bay in a three-game series this weekend in St. Petersburg.
- Cleveland Guardians: The Guardians are 56-52, and are two games behind Tampa Bay for final wild-card spot.
- Chicago White Sox: The White Sox are 55-53, and are three games behind Tampa Bay for the final wild-card spot.
- Boston Red Sox: The Red Sox are 54-56, and are five games behind Tampa Bay for the final wild-card spot.
Too far back
- Texas Rangers (48-60, 10 games out)
- Los Angeles Angels (46-63, 12.5 games out)
- Kansas City Royals (44-65, 14.5 games out)
- Detroit Tigers (43-67, 16 games out)
- Oakland Athletics (41-68, 17.5 games out)
